Gravity ride



Feb. 25, 1 930.

A. w. NICHOLS GRAVITY RIDE Filed March 1'7 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l GRAVITY RIDE Filed March 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 'HIHIIIIII x llll' 3 HU 'l q 1mm] T 3 0 X I: a lo i w' |mmm w I F .8. h fl z/fhl enior.

EM: U 92m Patented Feb. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ALFRED W. NICHOLS, OF REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS f GRAVITY RIDE Application filed March 17,1928. Serial No. 262,473.

My invention relates to so called gravity rides, scenic. railways or roller coasters. It has for its purposes to provide a new and novel means of pull up for elevating the passenger trainsor cars from the lower level to the point where the coasting begins; to minimize space requirements, and thereby reduce overhead and rental charges; to minimize construction and operating costs; to speed up the pull up operation; to reduce the required driving power; to eliminate pull up cables and the incidental wear and breakage; to provide for the car or train a new and novel automatic grappling dog, adaptable in its closed positionto slide by the normal contacting point on the vertical rails I of the power transmitter, and in its open position to engage said contacting point so as I to drive the car or train, without stopping same, up the spiral track on which it is designed to operate; to provide a new and novel means adaptable to avoid backward motion of the car or train in event of breakage or Mmishap; to provide a new and novel rotat- 2 ing core designed tofurnish the required pull up power; to provide novelty to the pull up by adding thereto a new and novel rotary motion; to minimize roof requ1rements; to make roofing of the pull up pracao'tical; and to provide the various other ad vantages and results. made evident from the following specification.

Iaccomplish the objects of my invention as 'shownin the accompanying drawings which Figure l'shows a side view of my improved elevating means and the tower in which it is housed. Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view on the line A-A in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a side view of the rotating core. Figure 4 isa top view of the rotating core shown in Figure 3. Figure 5 shows the detail of the automatic'grapplingdog, with which the cars or trains are equipped, in open position. Figure 6 shows the grappling dog in closed position. Figure 7 shows a section of y the. bearing mechanism on which the core rests and rotates, and igure Sshows the de tail of the means adaptable to avoid backward motion of the car or train.

form'a part of this specification and in which .Referring again to Figure 1, B shows the tower uprights, C shows the cross beams by which theuprights C are held in position. D shows the upright rails projecting from the rotating core. E shows the uprights of the core frame. F shows the cross beams of the core frame, to which cross beams the rails D are secured. G'shows the pulley at the base of the core to which power is applied to give a rotary motion. H shows a motor or source of energy. I shows the transmission cable. J shows the stationary track which enters the tower and the spiral portion of which ascends the tower about the rotating core. K shows a train travelling up the track in a pull up motion.

Referring again to Figure 5, L shows the hinge by which the arm M of the grappling dog is secured to the car K. N shows a pulleymounted on the arm and adaptable to engage the rails D of the rotating core during the pull up process. 0 shows a spring mounted to exertits pressure so as to hold the arm M in open position other than when the arm is closed in passing by a rail D, as happens when the train enters the tower at its foot. X shows the bumper or stop which supports the. arm M in proper open position.

Referring again to Figure 7 ,.P shows the stationary foundation on which the rollers Q rest and revolve. R showsbase of the rotary core resting upon the rollers Q. S shows the upper bearing. .1 shows the side rollers attached to the tower uprights so as to insure a true rotary motion.

' Referring again to Figure 8, U shows the pawl hinged to the axle at V and W shows the teeth in which the pawl falls and is held in event the car or train orcore attempts to move backward.

Similar. letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the*various views.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation or modification without departing from the spirit ofth-e invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein set forth but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims. ,1 7

Having thus described my invention I 7 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America V 1. In a device of the kind described a v tower, a track arranged in spiral shape adaptable for cars to run upon, a rotating core and means for engaging the cars so as 10 to force same upward, said means comprising ,an upright rail'secured to the rotating corev and a pulleyemounted upon the car by a hinged arm, said pulley adaptable to slip by and thereafter engage the said upright rail, substantially as described and for the purposes specified. V

2. A device of the kind described comprising a tower, a spiral track carried by the tower and upon which cars are adapted to 0p crate to move from the bottom to the 'top of the tower, a ertical rotating core within the tower, a stationary foundation supporting the core at its base, saidcore having a support at its base antifrictionally engaging the foundation, dog and tooth means at the base for preventing reverse rotation of the core,'hori- Zontallrolle'rs engaging pe'ripheral'parts of the support to sustain'the vertical position of the core. and means carried byith'e cars on the traclcfor engaging the core to move the cars up the spiral track when the core is rotated. v I 3; A device of the kind described comprising a tower, a spiraltrack carried by the 5 tower and upon which cars are adapted to move from the bottom to the top or the tower,

l a rotating core within the tower and having upright'continuous rails from top to bottom,

, and outwardly swinging hinge devices car- 40 riedby the cars on the track and having pulleys engaging therails to move cars up the spiral ti'aclrwlien the core is rotated, said devices being spring pressed to normally remain, in anopen or swung-out position and stops for limiting the outward position thereof.

4. A grappling device for scenic railway cars comprising an arm carried on the side of the car and pivotally connected at one end thereto, a pulley carried on the other end of the arm to vengage amotive element for moving, the car, a spring for normally urging the arm to swing outwardly from the car, and an inclined stop for determinging the extreme outward position of the arm.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

7 ALFRED W. NICHOLS. 

